Musical instrument



U. C. '& C. F. HILL.

Musical Instrument.

Patented Feb. 9, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHJE.

U. C. HILL, OF JERSEY CITY, NEIV JERSEY, AND G. F. HILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,296, dated February 9, 1858.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, URELI CORELLI HILL, of Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, and CHARLES FREDERICK HILL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in and Pertaining to an Instrument of Music Called and Named (in the Patent No. 5,161, issued by the United States and dated the 19th day of June, 1847,) the Hilleno.

Following is a true description of said improvements, reference being had to the drawings annexed.

The nature of our invention consists in atlixing wings to fork-prongs the better to vibrate the air in cells, in the bass especially where they are indispensable. Also,the hammer-wire as a balance to the wing, and to receive the hammer stroke. Also the yoke and bridge, to hold the fork to the cell. Also, the use of shouldered rivets to unite together sides of cells. Also, certain methods of doors to cells. Also, the construction of keys and action in ranges, so as to give abundance of room (10 to 12 feet) in which to place cells across them. Also, the transverse uprightaction to strike forks that stand vertically atthe sides of keys. Also the tuner on cells. Also the mode of damping forks on the edges of the prongsall as hereinafter described.

A cell is a box (ordinarily) of two large sides and four narrow edges, one of which edges containing the mouth and bridge, is the face; see in S drawing No. 2*, and a, a, are edges, one of which a, is the face and b one of the sides. Also see drawing No. 2, letters S and IV.

The fork is like the ordinary fiat handle tuning-fork. See drawing No. 1, G, and K m.

Making bass-ceZZs.For the large bass cells, galvanized iron is preferable, of an inch thick (zinc same thickness for other cells) the sides to be barred. See double bar a, a, in B, drawing No. 1; or like a, a single bar, soldered on at c, and c, 0, projecting from i to s an inch from the inner side of the cell. The bars may be from 4 to 7 inches apart, and run transversely to those on the opposite side. In drawing A No. 1 shows the side of a cell on which 2), o, o, are the bars, which may be made of thick tin, or thin galvanized iron. In B drawing No. 1

(Z, (Z, (Z, shows a form in which thin metal may be bent for cell-sides to make them of lighter material. The sides of the cells are to be firmly united by iron shouldered rivets like 2, in A, drawing No. 1. Their relative positions are shown by the dots in said A at letters 8. These rivets are placed 1 to 7 inches apart. Double cells have two sets of rivets, binding the center side to the outer sides; and this center side must be the first to rivet. Doubles and quadruples are used only in the bass. The single cell has one note, the double two notes, the quadruple four notes. But an easier construction is to use single cells throughout. The cell may have a tuner. See S atc with slits 2', 2', through which are screws that go into nuts soldered on the inside of the cell-face, which tuner being moved will flatten or sharpen the cell. The largest cell in a scale commencing for the lowest note at in J, drawing No. l, is 27 inches on the side, and if a. double, about s13; inches in thickness on its edge.

A scale of sizes of bass ccZZs.From this ForE below, up in the scale 6-1- octaves, will make a small and desirable instrument. The edge of this lower F (referred to above) may be 1% inches, and the G 6:1 octaves higher may be of an inch, inside measurement, on its edge. e will speak only of the square cell. For the sides of the cells make the F spoken of above 20 inches square, F :,t/: next note above 19 inches square, Gr do 18 inches, G .it do 17 inches, A do 16 inches, A it do 15 inches, B do 14 inches, C do 13 inches, C d0 12 inches, D do 11-1- inches, D 1- do 11 inches, E do 1071 inches. So this one octave from the first F spoken of will be 10 inches square, a quarter of the size on its side, and so on. By this process, taking a quarter of the side of any note must make the octave; all sizes can thus be found.

Bass f0fls.Fork-prongs 3; of an inch thick will produce a good B or F note27 and 20 inch sides.

W ing and hammer-wirc.The wing is an attachment to a fork-prong at its vibrat ing end. See drawing No. 1, letters I), in C, next to the mouth of cell. and strong tone, and the bass especially can not be produced without it. In the lower forks for the purpose of stiffening them, flanges may be used, (see a a, letter E, drawing No. 1,) soldered on by the flanges to the fork-prong, or by turning over the metal of the edges of the wing and soldering'it flat to the prong; or this, which is a very good way, file out the fork-prong in notches (two or more) and at the prominent points solder on the wing, thus the better balancing the prongs, without which the tone will be too short. Thin copper is good for the larger wings, it possessing very little of the ringing or jingling nature of brass. Thin brass is good for smaller ones. For the double purpose of balancing the fork-prongs, and of lessening the noise of the hammer-stroke, a small hammerwire is attached to the opposite prong to that of the wing (copper or brass are convenient metals to use for them) soldered fast at one or both ends, the wire being hammered fiat where soldered. See (Z, drawing G. The wing should be about 1 of the length of the fork-prong, and should extend the width of the mouth of the cell, which mouth is about the full width of the edge of the cell. In the two upper octaves it may be discontinued, but we prefer to use it in conjunction with the hammer wire throughout the entire scale.

D00rs.-In J drawing No. 1 a, a, a, are quadruples, each of which has two cells of two notes to each cell. B and C are the notes that belong to the front or largest cell. If the cell be turned to the higher of the two notes, the mouth must be decreased, or if tuned to the lower note the mouth must be enlarged to produce the adjoining semitone. For this purpose we use a door, which. the key is made to open to produce the higher, or to close for the lower note. lVe prefer the door at the mouth of the cell, but it may be placed in other parts of the cell. In drawing N0. 2, at R, is shown section of a cell, where Z), is an open door hinged at a, a, a, in the mouth 6, 6.

Letter 6 is a horn through the hole in which passes the wire it, h, which wire is to have a screw on it at e, and this screw must carry two nuts; one to go under, and one over 6. If the wire it, h, when the key or lever to which it is attached, is moved upward, it will close the door I), and thus and to catch the fall of the door.

It gives a full flatten the cell. This door we make of thin wood and have its centers a, a, a, go through leaden ears, as seen at a, a. The ear a a, is to bend into or out of the cell, thus to remove or replace the doors.

9, g, is a wire to regulate the opening of After the cell is turned to its higher note, we put in the door, the size of which can be found by covering the mouth of the cell, until it will give its semitone below. But we put in a door sufliciently large, and cut down its edge until right. On the upper edge of the same cell letter R drawing No. 2 is a door to open, to bring the higher (while the preceding door was to bring the lower) semitone. In this case, the door I) or its equivalent, is to constitute so much of the solid edge of the face of the cell, to bring the lower note of the two. Then in the top of the cell is the door f; hinged at 2' 2', through the horn j of which is to pass the rod 7b, 7b, as in the preceding doors. )Vhen h it rises, it opens the door f and sharpens the cell note. See K, in drawing No. 1, for the door used in hanging cells. V, drawing 2, shows a door to a suspended cell. The centers 0, c, to door a, are so adjusted in leaden ears, that the door may open, close and balance aright by such motion, as the key may give to Z). Letter 0 drawing No. 2, is a door in the top of a suspended cell, to open by the rod a, fastened to the door I), and passing through the cell to its key; we prefer the door in V. P drawing No. 2, we call a key-door. It is for a suspended cell, but is less simple than V. In G drawing No. 1, is what we call a blind-door, applicable at the top or bottom of the mouth in upright cells. i, 2', are their centers, h, the coupler, f, f, to rod to rise or fall with the lever to which attached.

Y0/lre.For the metal yoke see 0 in G. H, shows a metal yoke through the holes 9, g, the handle I, is put. At I, drawing No. 1, a, a, is the handle of a fork with notches filed into its edges, which catches in the yokehole to preveint it slipping out of place. The yokehole by being made narrower in the part nearest the cell will facilitate the placing of the fork-handle in the yoke. The spaces between the fork-handle and yoke are filled in with square pieces (shown by letters 1', in G drawing No. 1) of sole leather, buck-skin, rubber or cloth as is requiredthese pieces being notched will hold fast in the yoke. The fork is held by two screws Z), Z), which may be split or notched at the ends to prevent them turning. Under the ends of these screws leather must he placed between the ends of them and the fork-handle. All contact of metal had better be avoided. The yoke is soldered to a bridge as seen in C, drawing No. 1, e, e, and in S, drawing No. 1, at e. The yoke is best made of brass, or copper andshould be at least 4 inches long for the lowest notes, and half that length for the highest notes. That part through which the screws g0 should be i of an inch thick-the rest of it of thin brass, say of an inch thick. The screws must not jar. Great care must be taken in putting the forks properly into the yoke, and in many of the upper notes the screws must not pinch the fork too firmly. here the cells are small or the adjustment of the mouth requires it, a projection isused that becomes a bridge for the yoke to be soldered to, see T or IV, drawing No. 2.

Scafi'oZcZing, ct'e.IVe put four posts, two in the back corners of the case, and two in front of those and back of the name-board. To these posts affix substantial bars, letters Z), in L, drawing No. 1. Across these bars are scaffold strips 0 e e 0 running nearly parallel with the lines of cells (see Z), Z), in J) and on these scaffold strips rest, and are arranged, the gallows pieces f f in K. These pieces are attached to the wire hangers, am, which hangers are soldered to the cell. The holes in the gallows through which pass the hangers, are bushed with cloth; 9 g, is rubber tubing, operating as springs, surrounding a, n, or leather nuts under the gallows pieces may be used for keeping the cells in place, (Z, (Z, are leather washers and e, 6, nuts between which is held the gallows piece f, The scafford pieces 0 e e e in L are arranged at an angle, to be about parallel with the upper edges of the cells, so that the hangers may be of uniform length, and short as possible. The gallows pieces are attached to the scaffolding by screws, so that the cell can be easily moved into, or from its place. Extending over the action and keys, from the front to back are to be strips of wood nearly touching the forks on the lower edges of the cells. On these strips and to come between the cells to keep them in their places small strips say 2 inches long are glued. In hanging the cells let there be at least an inch of unoccupied space between them.

Keg s, action, dampers cmcZ pe(ZaZs.The action and its application to the fork in all but the few lowest notes, is shown in M. Here a, is section of a key, the letters Z), are parts of the action, 0, is a damper lever rest ing on back end of key at h; (Z, is damper frame; 6 damper; 2', damper-leg; and f f tips of fork under section of cell 9. hen it, rises, e is moved from f, at the moment f is struck by b. N, shows a damper centered from the front end thereof, which may be used instead of, or with the preceding named damper. In N, 0, is the point for inserting the damper-leg, (as 2', in M.) The b these plns rest on such a thlng F I; hinged to the bottom of the case at a a, the damperframe pins, resting on the bar Z). \Vhen the pedal-rod is pressed up against Z), the dampers move off the forks. In X, a, to a are keys; Z) to b, are damper levers. e, e, is damper-frame, with strips, as shown, projecting from it, to the under side of each lever. J, exhibits the scale, a a. a is a range of quadruples, with their faces (that is the edges on which are the mouths and forks) arranged on the left side of the first range of keys. Each portion of the keys embraced between an extreme short and an extreme long key, is called a range of keys; and the cells corresponding thereto we call ranges of cells. In the upper ranges, the cells being smaller, will admit more notes than the lower ranges. Five or six ranges may be used. The damper levers in this range are shown in D, is section of a quadruple, 0, c, is the part of the damper-lever which rests on the keys h, h,e, e, are the centers on which the forward damper moves. The butts of which centers are f, f.

The back damper butts and centers, are under the forward damper. In the front damper are the points a, Z): a, is the door lifter, and Z), is the damper leg. See a, a, in F drawing No. 1. o", 1*, is the wing; s, the fork-prong; t, the damper; u, the danr per lever, '0, the key, and w, the door lifter. The damper butts f, f, in D, drawing 1T0. 1, are screwed to the bottom of case and the horns of the levers rest on the respective keys at g, 9. When the forward lever rises, the damper head (see t, in F) moves forward from the fork-prong, and the door closes at the same time. The lever (Z, g, in D, has only the damper leg (Z, the door movement only being needed in the lower of the two notes. In G, drawing No. 1, 7c Z: Z is the profile of projecting wing, (Z, is a wire in the front prong to receive the hammer-stroke; e, e, e, show section of cell, and from g to g is the mouth in which hang doors. The range of quadruples projecting to the left of the key-board in J, drawing No. 1. At a a a are the two largest of them, to descend below the action. Other cells, above the lowest range are suspended over the keys. See K.

The transverse upright acti0n.In the lowest range of cells, the forks being upright, and standing not over but to the sides of the keys, the transverse upright action is here used. The right-hand figure in Gr, drawing No. 1, will show the principle of this action. There Z, is the jack-blade, fixed to the key as in pianos. IVhen the key rises Z, m, will be lifted, and will throw the hammer-head 0, against the wire d, and when the jack-blade Z, slips from under m,

the return of m, will be caught by the check g, which is inserted in the key obliquely, as shown. 11,, is the butt to which m, is hinged at p.

Uase.The bottom and back of the case must not be open work, and the partial inclosure of the case is necessary to throw out the tone of the bass. U, drawing No. shows an ornamented end of a case. The bass hammers being much softer than the piano, cloth or damper-felt may be used for them.

lVe do not herein claim the cells as agents in conjunction with forks to produce a musical instrument, nor forms, nor modes of constructing cells. But

hat we do claim and wish to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. The wing and hammer-Wire to forkprongs, as used in this instrument.

2. The placing of keys, action and cells in lateral or oblique ranges, the cells and keys crossing each other at right angles, and the manner of suspending cells.

8. The yoke and method of holding the fork to the cell.

4. The arrangements of dampers and damper-levers to the keys and forks, so as to damp the forks on their edges.

5. The transverse upright action for the movement of hammers across instead of parallel with the keys all substantially as herein shown and described.

U. C. HILL. 0. F. HILL. Signed in presence of JOHN M. FRENCH, THEo. M. SQUIRES. 

